Poll: If the Panthers win the Stanley Cup, who should win the Conn Smythe Trophy?

The Florida Panthers are one win from hoisting the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history.

With a 3-0 lead in the best-of-7 Stanley Cup Final series against the Edmonton Oilers and the series possibly wrapping up as early as Saturday night in Edmonton, we ask you: Who should win the Conn Smythe Trophy, given annually to the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup playoffs?

The Panthers aren’t short of contenders for the honor but it’s also important to remember that the award doesn’t necessarily have to go to a player from the winning team — although it almost always does.

With that said, give us your thoughts by voting in the poll below. The resumes for the contenders, listed in alphabetical order, are below the poll.

▪ Panthers center Aleksander Barkov: Barkov leads the Panthers with 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists), with four of his seven goals being game-winners. He recorded multiple points in eight of 20 playoff games played. And his defense has been otherworldly, as one would expect from this season’s Selke Trophy winner. The Panthers have allowed just eight goals at 5-on-five when Barkov is on the ice — and that generally comes against the opposition’s best players.

▪ Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky: The Vezina Trophy finalist is 15-5 with a 2.07 goals against average and .916 save percentage in the postseason. He has two shutouts, including a 32-save effort in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, and has allowed two goals or fewer in 15 of 20 games while being credited with 5.23 goals saved above average, according to the advanced hockey statistics website Natural Stat Trick.

▪ Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard: The Oilers defenseman leads all blueliners in goals (six), assists (22) and points (28) despite only having one point so far in the Stanley Cup Final.

▪ Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling: Forsling has 12 points (four goals, eight assists) this postseason, but his offensive numbers are secondary. Consider that he’s an NHL-best plus-15 this postseason and, like Barkov, that’s generally coming while facing the opponent’s top players. His combination of speed, mental acuity and stickwork have made him one of the top defensemen in the league and, in turn, this year’s playoffs.

▪ Oilers center Connor McDavid: While the Panthers have held McDavid to just three assists so far in the Stanley Cup Final, it’s worth noting the superstar center does lead the NHL with 34 points and 29 assists this postseason. For context, his 29 assists are more than any other player has points in this playoffs.